Google is temporarily disabling Maps and Waze services in Israel and Gaza as a safety precaution. This reportedly comes after the Israel Defence Forces asked the company to disable some features like real-time crowd-sourcing data.

Google suspends Maps and Waze in Israel and Gaza Strip

US technology giants are on the brink of revealing their strongest quarterly revenue growth in over a year. However, investors hoping for an artificial intelligence boost might be in for a surprise.

Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon's Q3 earnings preview

In a significant development for Australia's tech landscape, Microsoft has announced a substantial investment of $3.2 billion. This commitment aims to bolster Australia's artificial intelligence and cloud computing capabilities.

Microsoft commits billions to Australia for AI and cloud computing

US tech-giant, Microsoft, has revealed its plans to allocate A$5 billion (equivalent to $3.2 billion) towards the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing capabilities in Australia over a two-year period. This strategic investment encompasses a comprehensive initiative that includes skills development and enhancements in cyber security.

Microsoft's intended expansion will result in a 250 per cent increase in computing capacity within Australia. This augmentation will enable the 13th largest economy globally to cater to the burgeoning demand for cloud computing, which is projected to double between 2022 and 2026 as AI applications become more pervasive.

Brad Smith, Microsoft's Vice Chairman and President, emphasised that this significant spending is a testament to the company's unwavering commitment to contributing to the growth and prosperity of Australia in the AI era.

Apart from the substantial financial commitment, Microsoft has pledged to provide training to 300,000 Australians, equipping them with the skills essential for success in the digital economy. Additionally, the company will expand its cyber threat information-sharing agreement with the Australian Signals Directorate, bolstering the nation's cyber security capabilities.

According to Reuters, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed this initiative, emphasising that it represents a substantial investment in the skills and workforce of the future, asserting the importance of providing Australians with the necessary skills to excel in the rapidly evolving job landscape.

Steven Worrall, Microsoft's Managing Director for Australia, highlighted that this investment will not only enhance the digital economy's security but will also create a foundation for growth and innovation in the era of AI.

While Microsoft's announcement includes a substantial financial commitment of A$5 billion, specific details regarding the allocation of these funds were not provided in the statement. However, the company disclosed its intention to significantly expand its data centre presence in Australia from 20 sites to 29.

A recent joint report co-authored by Microsoft underlined the potential economic impact of generative AI, a form of automation that adapts to new data inputs. It stated that this technology could contribute up to A$115 billion per year to Australia's economy by 2030 if it is rapidly adopted.

Australia, despite its current absence of AI-specific regulations, has initiated public consultations in 2022 regarding AI regulation. This move is in response to the fast automation developments and follows Microsoft-supported OpenAI's introduction of the lifelike language program ChatGPT in 2022. While AI holds promise, concerns about bias, copyright infringement, and privacy breaches have prompted discussions around safeguarding this evolving technology.

(With inputs from Reuters)

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US tech-giant, Microsoft, has revealed its plans to allocate A$5 billion (equivalent to $3.2 billion) towards the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing capabilities in Australia over a two-year period.

US tech-giant, Microsoft, has revealed its plans to allocate A$5 billion (equivalent to $3.2 billion) towards the expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing capabilities in Australia over a two-year period. This strategic investment encompasses a comprehensive initiative that includes skills development and enhancements in cyber security. Microsoft's intended expansion will result in a 250 per cent increase in computing capacity within Australia. This augmentation will enable the 13th largest economy globally to cater to the burgeoning demand for cloud computing, which is projected to double between 2022 and 2026 as AI applications become more pervasive. Brad Smith, Microsoft's Vice Chairman and President, emphasised that this significant spending is a testament to the company's unwavering commitment to contributing to the growth and prosperity of Australia in the AI era. Apart from the substantial financial commitment, Microsoft has pledged to provide training to 300,000 Australians, equipping them with the skills essential for success in the digital economy. Additionally, the company will expand its cyber threat information-sharing agreement with the Australian Signals Directorate, bolstering the nation's cyber security capabilities. According to Reuters, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hailed this initiative, emphasising that it represents a substantial investment in the skills and workforce of the future, asserting the importance of providing Australians with the necessary skills to excel in the rapidly evolving job landscape. Steven Worrall, Microsoft's Managing Director for Australia, highlighted that this investment will not only enhance the digital economy's security but will also create a foundation for growth and innovation in the era of AI. While Microsoft's announcement includes a substantial financial commitment of A$5 billion, specific details regarding the allocation of these funds were not provided in the statement. However, the company disclosed its intention to significantly expand its data centre presence in Australia from 20 sites to 29. A recent joint report co-authored by Microsoft underlined the potential economic impact of generative AI, a form of automation that adapts to new data inputs. It stated that this technology could contribute up to A$115 billion per year to Australia's economy by 2030 if it is rapidly adopted. Australia, despite its current absence of AI-specific regulations, has initiated public consultations in 2022 regarding AI regulation. This move is in response to the fast automation developments and follows Microsoft-supported OpenAI's introduction of the lifelike language program ChatGPT in 2022. While AI holds promise, concerns about bias, copyright infringement, and privacy breaches have prompted discussions around safeguarding this evolving technology. (With inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Microsoft announces $3.2 billion investment in Australia's AI and cloud computing infrastructure

Xbox maker&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;closed its $69 billion deal for Activision Blizzard on Friday, swelling its heft in the video-gaming market with best-selling titles including "Call of Duty" to better compete with industry leader Sony.

Britain finally cleared&nbsp;Microsoft's acquisition of Activision earlier in the day after it forced the Xbox owner to sell the steaming rights to address its competition concerns.

The deal was blocked in April by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which said it could give the US&nbsp;computing giant a stranglehold over the nascent cloud gaming market.

But the regulator ripped up its play book by reopening the case after&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;agreed to sell the streaming rights to Activision's games to Ubisoft Entertainment, with remedies to ensure the terms were enforceable.

The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union.

It said "sticking to its guns" in the face of criticism from the merging companies had delivered an outcome that was better for competition, consumers and economic growth.

The CMA said&nbsp;Microsoft's concession on streaming was a "gamechanger", adding that it was the only competition agency globally to have delivered this outcome. 

"The new deal will stop&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement.

Microsoft&nbsp;announced the deal in early 2022, aiming to boost its growth in console, mobile, PC, and cloud gaming to compete with the likes of Tencent as well as PlayStation-owner Sony.

The US&nbsp;Federal Trade Commission opposed the deal but after failing to stop it, the CMA was left standing alone.

The FTC is fighting on, but&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;has said it will not stop it closing the deal.

The European Commision gave the green light in May when it accepted&nbsp;Microsoft's commitments to license Activision's games like "Overwatch" and "World of Warcraft" to other platforms.

<h2>'Stuck to our guns'</h2>

The CMA's block in April drew fury from the merging parties, with&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;saying that Britain was closed for business.

The British government only offered limited support to the CMA, with the Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt saying that while he did not want to undermine its independence, regulators also needed to focus on encouraging investment.

CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said the regulator had "delivered a clear message to&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;that the deal would be blocked unless they comprehensively addressed our concerns and we stuck to our guns on that."

She said the CMA took its decisions "free from political influence" and it would not be "swayed by corporate lobbying".

"Businesses and their advisers should be in no doubt that the tactics employed by&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;are no way to engage with the CMA," she said. 

"Microsoft&nbsp;had the chance to restructure during our initial investigation but instead continued to insist on a package of measures that we told them simply wouldn't work."

Quilter Cheviot equity analyst Ben Barringer said the CMA would see it as a victory, but it would need to be careful not to over-regulate the tech sector.

"There are fears the UK is a bad place to do business and the tech industry in particular will be watching its moves closely," he said.

Microsoft&nbsp;said it was "grateful for the CMA's thorough review and decision".

"We have now crossed the final regulatory hurdle to close this acquisition, which we believe will benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide," Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said.

Activision Blizzard said: "The CMA's official approval is great news for our future with&nbsp;Microsoft, and we look forward to becoming part of the Xbox Team."

The European Commission said the new commitments given by&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;to the CMA did not interfere with its EU commitments.

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Xbox maker Microsoft closed its $69 billion deal for Activision Blizzard on Friday, swelling its heft in the video-gaming market with best-selling titles including "Call of Duty" to better compete with industry leader Sony.

Xbox maker Microsoft closed its $69 billion deal for Activision Blizzard on Friday, swelling its heft in the video-gaming market with best-selling titles including "Call of Duty" to better compete with industry leader Sony. Britain finally cleared Microsoft's acquisition of Activision earlier in the day after it forced the Xbox owner to sell the steaming rights to address its competition concerns. The deal was blocked in April by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which said it could give the US computing giant a stranglehold over the nascent cloud gaming market. But the regulator ripped up its play book by reopening the case after Microsoft agreed to sell the streaming rights to Activision's games to Ubisoft Entertainment, with remedies to ensure the terms were enforceable. The deal was the biggest test of the CMA's global power to take on the tech giants since Britain left the European Union. It said "sticking to its guns" in the face of criticism from the merging companies had delivered an outcome that was better for competition, consumers and economic growth. The CMA said Microsoft's concession on streaming was a "gamechanger", adding that it was the only competition agency globally to have delivered this outcome.  "The new deal will stop Microsoft from locking up competition in cloud gaming as this market takes off, preserving competitive prices and services for UK cloud gaming customers," it said in a statement. Microsoft announced the deal in early 2022, aiming to boost its growth in console, mobile, PC, and cloud gaming to compete with the likes of Tencent as well as PlayStation-owner Sony. The US Federal Trade Commission opposed the deal but after failing to stop it, the CMA was left standing alone. The FTC is fighting on, but Microsoft has said it will not stop it closing the deal. The European Commision gave the green light in May when it accepted Microsoft's commitments to license Activision's games like "Overwatch" and "World of Warcraft" to other platforms. 'Stuck to our guns' The CMA's block in April drew fury from the merging parties, with Microsoft saying that Britain was closed for business. The British government only offered limited support to the CMA, with the Finance Minister Jeremy Hunt saying that while he did not want to undermine its independence, regulators also needed to focus on encouraging investment. CMA Chief Executive Sarah Cardell said the regulator had "delivered a clear message to Microsoft that the deal would be blocked unless they comprehensively addressed our concerns and we stuck to our guns on that." She said the CMA took its decisions "free from political influence" and it would not be "swayed by corporate lobbying". "Businesses and their advisers should be in no doubt that the tactics employed by Microsoft are no way to engage with the CMA," she said.  "Microsoft had the chance to restructure during our initial investigation but instead continued to insist on a package of measures that we told them simply wouldn't work." Quilter Cheviot equity analyst Ben Barringer said the CMA would see it as a victory, but it would need to be careful not to over-regulate the tech sector. "There are fears the UK is a bad place to do business and the tech industry in particular will be watching its moves closely," he said. Microsoft said it was "grateful for the CMA's thorough review and decision". "We have now crossed the final regulatory hurdle to close this acquisition, which we believe will benefit players and the gaming industry worldwide," Vice Chair and President Brad Smith said. Activision Blizzard said: "The CMA's official approval is great news for our future with Microsoft, and we look forward to becoming part of the Xbox Team." The European Commission said the new commitments given by Microsoft to the CMA did not interfere with its EU commitments. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Microsoft closes $69 billion Activision Blizzard deal after Britain's nod

Microsoft said on Wednesday the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in September notified the company that it is seeking an additional tax payment of $28.9 billion, plus penalties and interest for tax years from 2004 to 2013.

Microsoft said the IRS notices relate to an ongoing dispute between the company and the U.S. tax authority, which is auditing how Microsoft allocated its profit among different countries and jurisdictions.

The Redmond, Washington-based company said it has since changed its practices so that "issues raised by the IRS are relevant to the past but not to our current practices," according to a Microsoft blog.

Microsoft said it believes that any taxes owed after the audit would be reduced by up to $10 billion based on tax laws passed by former President Donald Trump.

The company said it disagrees with the IRS's findings and plans to dispute them, first in an internal IRS proceeding and then later, if necessary, in courts.

The IRS told Reuters it is prevented by U.S. law from confirming or denying whether it is auditing any taxpayer.

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Microsoft said on Wednesday the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in September notified the company that it is seeking an additional tax payment of $28.9 billion, plus penalties and interest for tax years from 2004 to 2013.

Microsoft said on Wednesday the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in September notified the company that it is seeking an additional tax payment of $28.9 billion, plus penalties and interest for tax years from 2004 to 2013. Microsoft said the IRS notices relate to an ongoing dispute between the company and the U.S. tax authority, which is auditing how Microsoft allocated its profit among different countries and jurisdictions. The Redmond, Washington-based company said it has since changed its practices so that "issues raised by the IRS are relevant to the past but not to our current practices," according to a Microsoft blog. Microsoft said it believes that any taxes owed after the audit would be reduced by up to $10 billion based on tax laws passed by former President Donald Trump. The company said it disagrees with the IRS's findings and plans to dispute them, first in an internal IRS proceeding and then later, if necessary, in courts. The IRS told Reuters it is prevented by U.S. law from confirming or denying whether it is auditing any taxpayer. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Microsoft says US has asked for $28.9 billion in audit dispute

British media regulator Ofcom is preparing to push for an antitrust investigation into Amazon and Microsoft's dominance of cloud computing market in the UK, reported Reuters citing sources. Amazon and Microsoft dominate UK's cloud computing market with a combined market share of 60-70 per cent. Their closest competitor Google has about 10 per cent market share.

Ofcom signalled its push for such an antitrust probe in the month of April. Reuters reported that this will remain in the watchdog's final report on this matter. The report is slated to be published on Thursday (October 5), reported Reuters.

Ofcom has said previously that it had considered a referral of the market for investigation by the CMA, the competition regulator in the UK.

Ofcom says that the current situation of Britain's cloud computing market has made it difficult for existing customers to bargain for a good deal with their cloud computing service provider.

The regulator said in a report earlier this year that technical &nbsp;restrictions and discounts encouraging customers to keep using a single provider for all their needs, even when better alternatives were available, could be considered anti-competitive.

"We are concerned that constraints on customers' ability to use more than one provider could make it harder for smaller cloud providers to win business and compete with the market leaders," it read.

Amazon and Microsoft have previously said that they will continue working with Ofcom ahead of publication of its final report.

Microsoft earlier had submitted a 58-page response saying that an investigation will ultimately be harmful to consumers.

“It would be a particularly unfortunate outcome if UK businesses and public sector customers faced less vibrant and competitive cloud solutions on a global stage than those available to their rivals in the EU, the U.S. and China," it said.

(With inputs from agencies)

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British media regulator Ofcom is preparing to push for an antitrust investigation into Amazon and Microsoft's dominance of cloud computing market in the UK, reported Reuters citing sources.

British media regulator Ofcom is preparing to push for an antitrust investigation into Amazon and Microsoft's dominance of cloud computing market in the UK, reported Reuters citing sources. Amazon and Microsoft dominate UK's cloud computing market with a combined market share of 60-70 per cent. Their closest competitor Google has about 10 per cent market share. Ofcom signalled its push for such an antitrust probe in the month of April. Reuters reported that this will remain in the watchdog's final report on this matter. The report is slated to be published on Thursday (October 5), reported Reuters. Ofcom has said previously that it had considered a referral of the market for investigation by the CMA, the competition regulator in the UK. Ofcom says that the current situation of Britain's cloud computing market has made it difficult for existing customers to bargain for a good deal with their cloud computing service provider. The regulator said in a report earlier this year that technical restrictions and discounts encouraging customers to keep using a single provider for all their needs, even when better alternatives were available, could be considered anti-competitive. "We are concerned that constraints on customers' ability to use more than one provider could make it harder for smaller cloud providers to win business and compete with the market leaders," it read. Amazon and Microsoft have previously said that they will continue working with Ofcom ahead of publication of its final report. Microsoft earlier had submitted a 58-page response saying that an investigation will ultimately be harmful to consumers. “It would be a particularly unfortunate outcome if UK businesses and public sector customers faced less vibrant and competitive cloud solutions on a global stage than those available to their rivals in the EU, the U.S. and China," it said. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

UK: Ofcom to recommend probe over Amazon, Microsoft's cloud computing dominance

According to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google's hegemony stems from deals that set its browser as the default one on PCs and cellphones. He brushed off the notion that the market in which Microsoft and Google compete has been significantly altered by artificial intelligence or more specialized search engines like Amazon or social media websites.

Microsoft vs Google: Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella challenges Google's default dominance

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella is expected to testify on Monday as a witness for the U.S. Justice Department, according to a filing on the docket of its once-in-a generation court fight against Alphabet's Google.

The government is likely to ask Nadella about Microsoft's efforts to expand the reach of Edge and Bing, its browser and search engine, and the obstacles posed by Google's dominance. Google will likely argue that the better quality of its products are the reason for its success rather than illegal behaviour.

The government has argued that Google, which has some 90% of the search market, illegally paid $10 billion annually to smartphone makers like Apple and wireless carriers like AT&amp;T and others to be the default in search on their devices in order to stay on top.

The clout in search makes Google a heavy hitter in the lucrative advertising market, boosting its profits.

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Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella is expected to testify on Monday as a witness for the U.S. Justice Department, according to a filing on the docket of its once-in-a generation court fight against Alphabet's Google.

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella is expected to testify on Monday as a witness for the U.S. Justice Department, according to a filing on the docket of its once-in-a generation court fight against Alphabet's Google. The government is likely to ask Nadella about Microsoft's efforts to expand the reach of Edge and Bing, its browser and search engine, and the obstacles posed by Google's dominance. Google will likely argue that the better quality of its products are the reason for its success rather than illegal behaviour. The government has argued that Google, which has some 90% of the search market, illegally paid $10 billion annually to smartphone makers like Apple and wireless carriers like AT&T and others to be the default in search on their devices in order to stay on top. The clout in search makes Google a heavy hitter in the lucrative advertising market, boosting its profits. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella set to testify against Google in antitrust trial

Chinese hackers who breached Microsoft's email platform this year managed to steal tens of thousands of emails from US State Department accounts, a Senate staffer told Reuters on Wednesday. The staffer, who attended a briefing by State Department IT officials, said the officials told lawmakers that 60,000 emails were stolen from 10 State Department accounts. Nine of those victims were working on East Asia and the Pacific and one worked on Europe, according to the briefing details shared via email by the staffer, who declined to be named.

The staffer works for Senator Eric Schmitt.

US&nbsp;officials and Microsoft said in July that Chinese state-linked hackers since May had accessed email accounts at around 25 organisations, including the US Commerce and State Departments. The extent of the compromise remains unclear.

US allegations that China was behind the breach have strained an already tense relationship between the countries, as Beijing has denied the charges.

The State Department individuals whose accounts were compromised mostly focused on Indo-Pacific diplomacy efforts, and the hackers also obtained a list containing all of the department's emails, according to the Wednesday briefing.

Watch:&nbsp;Gravitas: Top US officials fall victim to Chinese hackers

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The sweeping hack has refocused attention on Microsoft's outsize role in providing IT services to the US government. The State Department has begun moving to "hybrid" environments with multiple vendor companies and improved uptake of multi-factor authentication, as part of measures to protect its systems, according to the officials at the briefing.

The hackers compromised a Microsoft engineer's device, which allowed them to breach the State Department's email accounts, according to the briefing.

Microsoft earlier this month said that a hack of senior officials at the US State and Commerce Departments stemmed from the compromise of a Microsoft engineer's corporate account."We need to harden our defences&nbsp;against these types of cyberattacks and intrusions," Schmitt said in a statement shared by the staffer in an email to Reuters following the briefing. "We need to take a hard look at the federal government's reliance on a single vendor as a potential weak point," he said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinese-state-linked-hackers-secretly-accessed-government-emails-says-microsoft-614878">Also read:&nbsp;Chinese state-linked hackers secretly accessed government emails, says Microsoft</a>

A Microsoft spokesman did not have an immediate comment on the Senate briefing. The company, which has faced criticism over its security practices since the breaches, has said that the hacking group behind them - dubbed Storm-0558 - had broken into webmail accounts running on the firm's Outlook service.

The State Department did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Wednesday, and Schmitt wasn't available for an interview.

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Chinese hackers who breached Microsoft's email platform this year managed to steal tens of thousands of emails from US State Department accounts, a Senate staffer told Reuters on Wednesday.

Chinese hackers who breached Microsoft's email platform this year managed to steal tens of thousands of emails from US State Department accounts, a Senate staffer told Reuters on Wednesday. The staffer, who attended a briefing by State Department IT officials, said the officials told lawmakers that 60,000 emails were stolen from 10 State Department accounts. Nine of those victims were working on East Asia and the Pacific and one worked on Europe, according to the briefing details shared via email by the staffer, who declined to be named. The staffer works for Senator Eric Schmitt. US officials and Microsoft said in July that Chinese state-linked hackers since May had accessed email accounts at around 25 organisations, including the US Commerce and State Departments. The extent of the compromise remains unclear. US allegations that China was behind the breach have strained an already tense relationship between the countries, as Beijing has denied the charges. The State Department individuals whose accounts were compromised mostly focused on Indo-Pacific diplomacy efforts, and the hackers also obtained a list containing all of the department's emails, according to the Wednesday briefing. Watch: Gravitas: Top US officials fall victim to Chinese hackers × The sweeping hack has refocused attention on Microsoft's outsize role in providing IT services to the US government. The State Department has begun moving to "hybrid" environments with multiple vendor companies and improved uptake of multi-factor authentication, as part of measures to protect its systems, according to the officials at the briefing. The hackers compromised a Microsoft engineer's device, which allowed them to breach the State Department's email accounts, according to the briefing. Microsoft earlier this month said that a hack of senior officials at the US State and Commerce Departments stemmed from the compromise of a Microsoft engineer's corporate account."We need to harden our defences against these types of cyberattacks and intrusions," Schmitt said in a statement shared by the staffer in an email to Reuters following the briefing. "We need to take a hard look at the federal government's reliance on a single vendor as a potential weak point," he said. Also read: Chinese state-linked hackers secretly accessed government emails, says Microsoft A Microsoft spokesman did not have an immediate comment on the Senate briefing. The company, which has faced criticism over its security practices since the breaches, has said that the hacking group behind them - dubbed Storm-0558 - had broken into webmail accounts running on the firm's Outlook service. The State Department did not immediately return a message seeking comment on Wednesday, and Schmitt wasn't available for an interview. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Chinese hackers stole 60,000 emails from US State Dept accounts in Microsoft breach

Thailand is making headlines today as it seeks substantial investments from some of the world's tech giants. In a bid to revitalise its economy, prime minister Srettha Thavisin has announced that Tesla, Google, and Microsoft are considering pouring a collective $5 billion into the country.

Thailand courts Tesla, Google, and Microsoft for $5 billion investment

Thailand's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, announced on Sunday a landmark investment commitment from technology giants Tesla, Google, and Microsoft, potentially injecting a substantial $5 billion into the Thai economy. The Prime Minister gave his statement upon returning from the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he engaged with top executives from these influential companies to promote investment in Thailand, according to a report by the Bangkok Post.

According to Mr. Thavisin, Tesla is eyeing the construction of an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility, while Microsoft and Google are exploring the establishment of data centres within the Kingdom. While he made the statement, he emphasised the importance of these investments in rejuvenating Thailand’s economy.

This investment surge comes at a crucial time for Thailand, whose economy is facing challenges, with growth projected at 2.8 per cent this year, lower than initial estimates, due to limited exports. Prime Minister Thavisin's discussions with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the U.S. underscore the potential of Thailand's electric vehicle (EV) industry, with the nation actively incentivising EV and battery manufacturers to set up regional production centres. Concurrently, the Thai government is offering tax incentives to boost local EV adoption, aiming to become a regional leader in EVs.

In addition to this, Thavisin expressed his intent to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco in November. He plans to collaborate with Thai business leaders to engage with global companies and discuss investment opportunities both in Thailand and the United States.

Thavisin emphasised the importance of financial support for international investors looking to establish branches in Thailand and hinted at potential collaborations with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to list Thai companies in the U.S., marking a significant step forward in international investment relations.

However, the Bangkok Post also reported that some experts, such as Tawisant Lonanurak, a former secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce's northeastern divsion, urge caution. They believe that major foreign companies will carefully evaluate various factors, including political stability, tax policies, and the rule of law, before committing to investments in Thailand. Lonanurak also underscored the need for Thailand to prioritise negotiating more free trade agreements with its global trading partners to maintain a competitive edge.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Thailand's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, announced on Sunday a landmark investment commitment from technology giants Tesla, Google, and Microsoft, potentially injecting a substantial $5 billion into the Thai economy.

Thailand's Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin, announced on Sunday a landmark investment commitment from technology giants Tesla, Google, and Microsoft, potentially injecting a substantial $5 billion into the Thai economy. The Prime Minister gave his statement upon returning from the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he engaged with top executives from these influential companies to promote investment in Thailand, according to a report by the Bangkok Post. According to Mr. Thavisin, Tesla is eyeing the construction of an electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing facility, while Microsoft and Google are exploring the establishment of data centres within the Kingdom. While he made the statement, he emphasised the importance of these investments in rejuvenating Thailand’s economy. This investment surge comes at a crucial time for Thailand, whose economy is facing challenges, with growth projected at 2.8 per cent this year, lower than initial estimates, due to limited exports. Prime Minister Thavisin's discussions with Tesla CEO Elon Musk in the U.S. underscore the potential of Thailand's electric vehicle (EV) industry, with the nation actively incentivising EV and battery manufacturers to set up regional production centres. Concurrently, the Thai government is offering tax incentives to boost local EV adoption, aiming to become a regional leader in EVs. In addition to this, Thavisin expressed his intent to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Leaders' Meeting in San Francisco in November. He plans to collaborate with Thai business leaders to engage with global companies and discuss investment opportunities both in Thailand and the United States. Thavisin emphasised the importance of financial support for international investors looking to establish branches in Thailand and hinted at potential collaborations with the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to list Thai companies in the U.S., marking a significant step forward in international investment relations. However, the Bangkok Post also reported that some experts, such as Tawisant Lonanurak, a former secretary-general of the Thai Chamber of Commerce's northeastern divsion, urge caution. They believe that major foreign companies will carefully evaluate various factors, including political stability, tax policies, and the rule of law, before committing to investments in Thailand. Lonanurak also underscored the need for Thailand to prioritise negotiating more free trade agreements with its global trading partners to maintain a competitive edge. (With inputs from Reuters)

Thailand anticipates investments worth $5 billion from tech giants Google, Tesla , Microsoft

British regulators on Friday dropped their objections to Microsoft's attempt to buy video game firm Activision Blizzard, the maker of "Call of Duty", paving the way for the US tech titan to close one of the biggest technology acquisitions ever.

Microsoft launched its blockbuster $69-billion takeover in January last year, an acquisition that would make it the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue, but it faced stiff scrutiny from US regulators and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority.

The CMA blocked the deal in April over fears it would damage competition in the fast-growing cloud gaming sector, where games are bought virtually and players can use a variety of devices rather than just consoles.

Microsoft eventually submitted a new bid that the CMA said in a statement on Friday had made important changes and "opens the door to the deal being cleared", adding that it would consult on the "remedies" before making a final decision.

Both the companies involved in the deal praised the CMA's change of heart.

Microsoft vice chairman and president Brad Smith, who had labelled the initial rejection in April as "probably the darkest day" of the firm's time in the UK, called Friday's statement a "positive development".

He said Microsoft would aim to get approval to close the deal by October 18.

Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, whose company also makes the popular games "Diablo" and "Candy Crush", said the UK regulator's announcement was "a significant milestone for the merger".

Analysts said the takeover now looked like a shoo-in and all sides were able to claim victory -- the regulator showed its teeth and forced a concession and the firms got their deal over the line.

If the deal goes through, Microsoft will muscle in to form a "big three" in the sector -- just behind China's Tencent and Japan's Sony.

<h2>- 'Real value' -</h2>

Microsoft, which makes the Xbox console and already has a stable of games under its belt including "Minecraft", "Elder Scrolls" and "Fallout", is already the dominant player in the cloud-gaming world -- its Game Pass service claims 25 million subscribers.

The original deal would have seen hugely popular Activision games including "Call of Duty", "Overwatch" and "World of Warcraft" added to its cloud roster, which was too much for the UK regulator to stomach.

Under the new deal, Microsoft has agreed it would not take control of the cloud portion of Activision's business, which will be transferred to French studio Ubisoft for 15 years.

CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said Microsoft had taken the "necessary steps" but she added it would have been "far better" if the firm had made the proposal during the initial investigation.

"This case illustrates the costs, uncertainty and delay that parties can incur if a credible and effective remedy option exists but is not put on the table at the right time," she said.

<h2>- EU green light -</h2>

Aside from the concerns over cloud gaming, regulators had also worried that the initial deal would have allowed Microsoft to make Activision's games exclusive to its Xbox.

Microsoft and Sony, which had previously tried to block the Activision deal, agreed in July to keep releasing "Call of Duty" on the PlayStation.

The European Union cleared the deal in May while the US antitrust regulator recently paused its attempt to block the buyout following a setback in court.

Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the essential building blocks of the deal remained in place, making it a win for Microsoft.

"The small scale of the cloud components means the assets being taken over are still of real value to Microsoft," she told AFP.

Sorrel Beynon of FTI Consulting added that both sides would feel they "achieved the desired outcome".

&nbsp;

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British regulators on Friday dropped their objections to Microsoft's attempt to buy video game firm Activision Blizzard, the maker of "Call of Duty", paving the way for the US tech titan to close one of the biggest technology acquisitions ever.

British regulators on Friday dropped their objections to Microsoft's attempt to buy video game firm Activision Blizzard, the maker of "Call of Duty", paving the way for the US tech titan to close one of the biggest technology acquisitions ever. Microsoft launched its blockbuster $69-billion takeover in January last year, an acquisition that would make it the world's third-largest gaming company by revenue, but it faced stiff scrutiny from US regulators and the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA blocked the deal in April over fears it would damage competition in the fast-growing cloud gaming sector, where games are bought virtually and players can use a variety of devices rather than just consoles. Microsoft eventually submitted a new bid that the CMA said in a statement on Friday had made important changes and "opens the door to the deal being cleared", adding that it would consult on the "remedies" before making a final decision. Both the companies involved in the deal praised the CMA's change of heart. Microsoft vice chairman and president Brad Smith, who had labelled the initial rejection in April as "probably the darkest day" of the firm's time in the UK, called Friday's statement a "positive development". He said Microsoft would aim to get approval to close the deal by October 18. Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick, whose company also makes the popular games "Diablo" and "Candy Crush", said the UK regulator's announcement was "a significant milestone for the merger". Analysts said the takeover now looked like a shoo-in and all sides were able to claim victory -- the regulator showed its teeth and forced a concession and the firms got their deal over the line. If the deal goes through, Microsoft will muscle in to form a "big three" in the sector -- just behind China's Tencent and Japan's Sony. - 'Real value' - Microsoft, which makes the Xbox console and already has a stable of games under its belt including "Minecraft", "Elder Scrolls" and "Fallout", is already the dominant player in the cloud-gaming world -- its Game Pass service claims 25 million subscribers. The original deal would have seen hugely popular Activision games including "Call of Duty", "Overwatch" and "World of Warcraft" added to its cloud roster, which was too much for the UK regulator to stomach. Under the new deal, Microsoft has agreed it would not take control of the cloud portion of Activision's business, which will be transferred to French studio Ubisoft for 15 years. CMA chief executive Sarah Cardell said Microsoft had taken the "necessary steps" but she added it would have been "far better" if the firm had made the proposal during the initial investigation. "This case illustrates the costs, uncertainty and delay that parties can incur if a credible and effective remedy option exists but is not put on the table at the right time," she said. - EU green light - Aside from the concerns over cloud gaming, regulators had also worried that the initial deal would have allowed Microsoft to make Activision's games exclusive to its Xbox. Microsoft and Sony, which had previously tried to block the Activision deal, agreed in July to keep releasing "Call of Duty" on the PlayStation. The European Union cleared the deal in May while the US antitrust regulator recently paused its attempt to block the buyout following a setback in court. Sophie Lund-Yates, lead equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown, said the essential building blocks of the deal remained in place, making it a win for Microsoft. "The small scale of the cloud components means the assets being taken over are still of real value to Microsoft," she told AFP. Sorrel Beynon of FTI Consulting added that both sides would feel they "achieved the desired outcome". WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Microsoft nears takeover of 'Call of Duty' maker Activision

The United Kingdom's competition regulators have agreed to clear the final legal hurdle in Microsoft's ambitious $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc., according to a report by Bloomberg. It has taken more than a year and a half to reach this point in the process of concluding the biggest gaming deal in history.

The proposed concessions by Microsoft clear the way for the deal, according to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which made the declaration on Friday. According to the regulator, the revised proposal, which involves the transfer of gaming rights to the French publisher Ubisoft Entertainment SA, will foster healthy competition in the field of cloud gaming for many years to come. By October 6, the CMA wants to hear from the public about this offer.

This development marks a significant turn of events for a deal that had previously faced significant obstacles, including early objections from antitrust regulators, including a veto from the UK earlier this year. Following Microsoft's court triumph over the Federal Trade Commission's opposition to the transaction, it began to make a comeback. The CMA was the final regulatory obstacle after the European Union eventually approved the purchase in May, although with additional minor restrictions.

Bloomberg quoted Colin Raftery, a senior director of mergers at the CMA, who highlighted the transformation of the deal, stating, "This is a new and substantially different deal, which keeps the cloud distribution of these important games in the hands of a strong independent supplier, Ubisoft, rather than under the control of Microsoft."

Although the agreement has taken longer than expected to materialise, it is the cornerstone of a strategy by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer to revive Microsoft's flagging mobile gaming market. Spencer now challenged with implementing this plan in a gaming environment that has changed, with a lesser focus placed on the metaverse, which was once hailed as the acquisition's motivating factor.

Microsoft's stock price was mostly unchanged as of 9:10 a.m. in Germany, while Activision's stock price increased by 1.3 per cent. Ubisoft's stock increased by as much as 3.26 per cent in Paris.

Brad Smith, a Microsoft executive, expressed optimism about the CMA's progress. "We are encouraged by this positive development in the CMA's review process. We presented solutions that we believe fully address the CMA's remaining concerns related to cloud game streaming," Bloomberg quoted him as saying.

Activision's CEO, Bobby Kotick, acknowledged the critical importance of the CMA's preliminary approval, stating in a blog post, "The CMA's preliminary approval of our merger is critical to completing the deal."

The CMA had previously rejected the agreement, citing possible repercussions like increased costs, fewer options, and decreased innovation for UK gamers. According to the regulator, the newly proposed rules prevent Microsoft from limiting access to Activision's essential content to just its own cloud gaming service or from withholding these titles from rivals.

The CEO of the CMA, Sarah Cardell, emphasised that it would have been preferable if Microsoft had presented this restructuring during the initial investigation, highlighting the expenses, ambiguity, and delays that can result from failing to promptly offer a workable and efficient remedy option.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)

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The United Kingdom's competition regulators have agreed to clear the final legal hurdle in Microsoft's ambitious $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc.

The United Kingdom's competition regulators have agreed to clear the final legal hurdle in Microsoft's ambitious $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc., according to a report by Bloomberg. It has taken more than a year and a half to reach this point in the process of concluding the biggest gaming deal in history. The proposed concessions by Microsoft clear the way for the deal, according to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which made the declaration on Friday. According to the regulator, the revised proposal, which involves the transfer of gaming rights to the French publisher Ubisoft Entertainment SA, will foster healthy competition in the field of cloud gaming for many years to come. By October 6, the CMA wants to hear from the public about this offer. This development marks a significant turn of events for a deal that had previously faced significant obstacles, including early objections from antitrust regulators, including a veto from the UK earlier this year. Following Microsoft's court triumph over the Federal Trade Commission's opposition to the transaction, it began to make a comeback. The CMA was the final regulatory obstacle after the European Union eventually approved the purchase in May, although with additional minor restrictions. Bloomberg quoted Colin Raftery, a senior director of mergers at the CMA, who highlighted the transformation of the deal, stating, "This is a new and substantially different deal, which keeps the cloud distribution of these important games in the hands of a strong independent supplier, Ubisoft, rather than under the control of Microsoft." Although the agreement has taken longer than expected to materialise, it is the cornerstone of a strategy by Xbox CEO Phil Spencer to revive Microsoft's flagging mobile gaming market. Spencer now challenged with implementing this plan in a gaming environment that has changed, with a lesser focus placed on the metaverse, which was once hailed as the acquisition's motivating factor. Microsoft's stock price was mostly unchanged as of 9:10 a.m. in Germany, while Activision's stock price increased by 1.3 per cent. Ubisoft's stock increased by as much as 3.26 per cent in Paris. Brad Smith, a Microsoft executive, expressed optimism about the CMA's progress. "We are encouraged by this positive development in the CMA's review process. We presented solutions that we believe fully address the CMA's remaining concerns related to cloud game streaming," Bloomberg quoted him as saying. Activision's CEO, Bobby Kotick, acknowledged the critical importance of the CMA's preliminary approval, stating in a blog post, "The CMA's preliminary approval of our merger is critical to completing the deal." The CMA had previously rejected the agreement, citing possible repercussions like increased costs, fewer options, and decreased innovation for UK gamers. According to the regulator, the newly proposed rules prevent Microsoft from limiting access to Activision's essential content to just its own cloud gaming service or from withholding these titles from rivals. The CEO of the CMA, Sarah Cardell, emphasised that it would have been preferable if Microsoft had presented this restructuring during the initial investigation, highlighting the expenses, ambiguity, and delays that can result from failing to promptly offer a workable and efficient remedy option. (With inputs from Bloomberg) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Activision’s takeover by Microsoft surpasses the final regulatory block in the UK

Investors believe that Microsoft will see stronger growth and significantly lower china risk, thus the software juggernaut is bridging the stock market gap with Apple. With the maker of the iPhone at the center of a heated dispute with China, Microsoft has seen its stock price rise more quickly than Apple this month.

Microsoft gains ground on Apple in stock market race | World Business Watch

As investors recognise Microsoft Corp.'s superior growth and significantly lower China risk, the software behemoth is closing the gap with Apple Inc. in the stock market, according to a Bloomberg report.

This month, the shares of the Redmond, Washington-based corporation outpaced those of the iPhone manufacturer, putting its market worth closer to that of Apple, which is at the centre of a resurgence in tensions with China. Although there are still hundreds of billions of dollars separating the two businesses, Microsoft's leadership in industries like cloud computing and artificial intelligence make it more appealing to investors.

According to David Klink, senior equities analyst at Huntington Private Bank, "Microsoft has more of what the market wants right now, and given where we stand on the pair's growth prospects, we wouldn't be surprised to see it overtake Apple," as reported by Bloomberg.

"We have more faith in Microsoft’s margins, while the cloud and AI are growth areas that can stand the test of time over a decade. We don’t know if the iPhone can do the same," he stated. He also added, given Apple's services business, "it's difficult to make a bear case for them, but the bull case clearly favours Microsoft."

Microsoft last surpassed Apple in size in November 2021. Despite declining from a height of around $3.1 trillion, Apple's market capitalization is still more than Microsoft's, which is close to $2.4 trillion. The difference between Apple and Microsoft has shrunk to about $200 billion at one point last week as Microsoft shares have maintained constant this month despite the decline in Apple shares.

On Wall Street, Microsoft is frequently preferred over Apple. The company's recommendation consensus, which serves as a proxy for its buy, hold, and sell rating ratio, is significantly higher than Apple's. Almost 90 per cent of Microsoft experts favour buying the stock, compared to only 2/3 of Apple analysts.

Apple has experienced negative sales growth for three consecutive quarters, and if that trend continues—as analysts predict—it would have done so for the longest time in twenty years. According to statistics gathered by Bloomberg, while that's anticipated to change for the better in Apple's fiscal year 2024 and continue expanding in the following two years, the rate isn't anticipated to be quite as robust as that of Microsoft.

The maker of the iPhone is "looking like the old IBM," Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi wrote. IBM Corporation's "strength in mainframes and associated account control once seemed unassailable," Sacconaghi said, cautioning that "Apple's key risks are that iPhone is replaced by a new computing/internet access platform."

AI, the year's trendiest investing topic, may be that new something. Needham said that Apple might drop to fourth place among US equities, behind Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Microsoft, since it "is not a core beneficiary of the trend towards generative AI." Separately, Rosenblatt Securities warned that Nvidia Corp., the chipmaker that has so far benefited the most from the AI boom but is currently smaller than Apple, could challenge Apple's throne. Nvidia Corp. is currently less than half the size of Apple.

Despite indications of strong demand, there were few shocks in Apple's most recent gadget launches. New phones from Huawei Technologies Co. may pose a competitive challenge amid worries about government limitations on iPhones in China, which account for about a quarter of Apple's revenue. Apple’s efforts to build semiconductors internally may be taking longer than anticipated. Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, told lawmakers this week that only about 2 per cent of their revenue comes from China.

According to Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at Ingalls &amp; Snyder, "consistency is worth a lot when considering a company's valuation, and Microsoft, because of its consistency and projected growth rate, has an advantage over Apple right now." "I like both, but Apple has a higher risk," he added.

The returns of tech stocks broken down by size have dramatically diverged as a result of the great outperformance by Wall Street's largest stocks. In 2023, the S&amp;P 500 tech sector index increased by 38 per cent, whereas an analogous mid-cap index only increased by 16 per cent. Meanwhile, the small-cap tech stock index has increased by less than 11 per cent.

(With inputs from Bloomberg)

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As investors recognise Microsoft Corp.'s superior growth and significantly lower China risk, the software behemoth is closing the gap with Apple Inc. in the stock market, according to a Bloomberg report.

As investors recognise Microsoft Corp.'s superior growth and significantly lower China risk, the software behemoth is closing the gap with Apple Inc. in the stock market, according to a Bloomberg report. This month, the shares of the Redmond, Washington-based corporation outpaced those of the iPhone manufacturer, putting its market worth closer to that of Apple, which is at the centre of a resurgence in tensions with China. Although there are still hundreds of billions of dollars separating the two businesses, Microsoft's leadership in industries like cloud computing and artificial intelligence make it more appealing to investors. According to David Klink, senior equities analyst at Huntington Private Bank, "Microsoft has more of what the market wants right now, and given where we stand on the pair's growth prospects, we wouldn't be surprised to see it overtake Apple," as reported by Bloomberg. "We have more faith in Microsoft’s margins, while the cloud and AI are growth areas that can stand the test of time over a decade. We don’t know if the iPhone can do the same," he stated. He also added, given Apple's services business, "it's difficult to make a bear case for them, but the bull case clearly favours Microsoft." Microsoft last surpassed Apple in size in November 2021. Despite declining from a height of around $3.1 trillion, Apple's market capitalization is still more than Microsoft's, which is close to $2.4 trillion. The difference between Apple and Microsoft has shrunk to about $200 billion at one point last week as Microsoft shares have maintained constant this month despite the decline in Apple shares. On Wall Street, Microsoft is frequently preferred over Apple. The company's recommendation consensus, which serves as a proxy for its buy, hold, and sell rating ratio, is significantly higher than Apple's. Almost 90 per cent of Microsoft experts favour buying the stock, compared to only 2/3 of Apple analysts. Apple has experienced negative sales growth for three consecutive quarters, and if that trend continues—as analysts predict—it would have done so for the longest time in twenty years. According to statistics gathered by Bloomberg, while that's anticipated to change for the better in Apple's fiscal year 2024 and continue expanding in the following two years, the rate isn't anticipated to be quite as robust as that of Microsoft. The maker of the iPhone is "looking like the old IBM," Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi wrote. IBM Corporation's "strength in mainframes and associated account control once seemed unassailable," Sacconaghi said, cautioning that "Apple's key risks are that iPhone is replaced by a new computing/internet access platform." AI, the year's trendiest investing topic, may be that new something. Needham said that Apple might drop to fourth place among US equities, behind Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Microsoft, since it "is not a core beneficiary of the trend towards generative AI." Separately, Rosenblatt Securities warned that Nvidia Corp., the chipmaker that has so far benefited the most from the AI boom but is currently smaller than Apple, could challenge Apple's throne. Nvidia Corp. is currently less than half the size of Apple. Despite indications of strong demand, there were few shocks in Apple's most recent gadget launches. New phones from Huawei Technologies Co. may pose a competitive challenge amid worries about government limitations on iPhones in China, which account for about a quarter of Apple's revenue. Apple’s efforts to build semiconductors internally may be taking longer than anticipated. Microsoft's president, Brad Smith, told lawmakers this week that only about 2 per cent of their revenue comes from China. According to Tim Ghriskey, senior portfolio strategist at Ingalls & Snyder, "consistency is worth a lot when considering a company's valuation, and Microsoft, because of its consistency and projected growth rate, has an advantage over Apple right now." "I like both, but Apple has a higher risk," he added. The returns of tech stocks broken down by size have dramatically diverged as a result of the great outperformance by Wall Street's largest stocks. In 2023, the S&P 500 tech sector index increased by 38 per cent, whereas an analogous mid-cap index only increased by 16 per cent. Meanwhile, the small-cap tech stock index has increased by less than 11 per cent. (With inputs from Bloomberg) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Microsoft looks to overtake Apple as the world's largest stock: Report

Alphabet's Google said on Tuesday that Bard, its generative artificial intelligence, will have the ability to fact-check its answers and analyze users' personal Google data as the tech giant scrambles to catch up to ChatGPT in popularity.

Bard Gets Smarter: Google AI Chatbot gets new features

According to a new report from cloud security company Wiz, the Microsoft AI research team accidentally leaked 38TB of the company's private data.

Microsoft AI team accidentally leaks 38TB of private company data

AI researchers at Microsoft have committed a grave error, as revealed in a recent report by cloud security company Wiz. The Microsoft AI research team inadvertently disclosed a massive&nbsp;38 terabytes of the company's confidential data.

Among the exposed data were complete backups of two employees' computers, housing sensitive personal information such as passwords for Microsoft services, secret keys, and over 30,000 internal Microsoft Teams messages from more than 350 Microsoft employees, reported Mashable.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/data-lab-cyber-threats-in-healthcare-digital-india-and-the-need-to-beef-up-cyber-security-601894">Data Lab | Digital India and the need to beef up cyber-security in healthcare</a>

<h2>So, how did this&nbsp;incident occur?</h2>

According to the report, the Microsoft AI team uploaded a repository of training data containing open-source code and AI models designed for image recognition. Users stumbling upon this Github repository acquired&nbsp;a link from Azure, Microsoft's cloud storage service, enabling them to download these models.

However, a critical flaw cropped up:&nbsp;the link provided by Microsoft's AI team granted visitors unrestricted access to the entire Azure storage account. This meant that visitors not only had the ability to browse through all the content&nbsp;within the account but also had the power to upload, overwrite, or delete files at their discretion.

Wiz said this vulnerability stemmed from an Azure feature known as Shared Access Signature (SAS) tokens, which essentially offers a signed URL for accessing Azure Storage data. The SAS token could have been configured with specific limitations governing which files could be accessed. The link in question had been configured with full access rights.

Compounding the issue, Wiz noted that this data had seemingly been exposed since 2020. This extended period of exposure significantly amplified the potential risks associated with the breach.

Also watch |&nbsp;Bard Gets Smarter: Google AI Chatbot gets new features

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Upon discovering this security lapse, Wiz&nbsp;notified Microsoft on June 22 this year. Microsoft invalidated the SAS token within two days, effectively sealing the vulnerability. Subsequently, Microsoft conducted a comprehensive investigation into the potential repercussions, successfully concluding it by August.

Microsoft has issued a statement to TechCrunch, asserting that "no customer data was exposed, and no other internal services were put at risk because of this issue."&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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AI researchers at Microsoft have committed a grave error, as revealed in a recent report by cloud security company Wiz. The Microsoft AI research team inadvertently disclosed a massive 38 terabytes of the company's confidential data.

AI researchers at Microsoft have committed a grave error, as revealed in a recent report by cloud security company Wiz. The Microsoft AI research team inadvertently disclosed a massive 38 terabytes of the company's confidential data. Among the exposed data were complete backups of two employees' computers, housing sensitive personal information such as passwords for Microsoft services, secret keys, and over 30,000 internal Microsoft Teams messages from more than 350 Microsoft employees, reported Mashable. Also read | Data Lab | Digital India and the need to beef up cyber-security in healthcare So, how did this incident occur? According to the report, the Microsoft AI team uploaded a repository of training data containing open-source code and AI models designed for image recognition. Users stumbling upon this Github repository acquired a link from Azure, Microsoft's cloud storage service, enabling them to download these models. However, a critical flaw cropped up: the link provided by Microsoft's AI team granted visitors unrestricted access to the entire Azure storage account. This meant that visitors not only had the ability to browse through all the content within the account but also had the power to upload, overwrite, or delete files at their discretion. Wiz said this vulnerability stemmed from an Azure feature known as Shared Access Signature (SAS) tokens, which essentially offers a signed URL for accessing Azure Storage data. The SAS token could have been configured with specific limitations governing which files could be accessed. The link in question had been configured with full access rights. Compounding the issue, Wiz noted that this data had seemingly been exposed since 2020. This extended period of exposure significantly amplified the potential risks associated with the breach. Also watch | Bard Gets Smarter: Google AI Chatbot gets new features Upon discovering this security lapse, Wiz notified Microsoft on June 22 this year. Microsoft invalidated the SAS token within two days, effectively sealing the vulnerability. Subsequently, Microsoft conducted a comprehensive investigation into the potential repercussions, successfully concluding it by August. Microsoft has issued a statement to TechCrunch, asserting that "no customer data was exposed, and no other internal services were put at risk because of this issue." WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Microsoft made the grave error of accidentally leaking sensitive data. This is what happened next

Google is set to face one of the largest anti-trust trials big tech has ever seen in the US, beginning 12 September.

US: Google braces for anti-trust case

The recently disclosed Chinese hack of senior officials at the US&nbsp;State and Commerce departments stemmed from the compromise of a Microsoft engineer’s corporate account, Microsoft Corp said in a blog post on Wednesday.

Microsoft&nbsp;said the engineer’s account had been penetrated by a hacking group it dubs Storm-0558, which is alleged to have stolen hundreds of thousands of emails from top American officials including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Daniel Kritenbrink.

The blog post addressed some unanswered questions around the incident, which drew fresh scrutiny to&nbsp;Microsoft’s security and led to calls to investigate the company’s practices.

Notably, the post explained how hackers were able to extract a cryptographic key from the engineer’s account and use it to access email accounts that it should not have given them access to.

Microsoft&nbsp;said it had fixed the flaws that led to the key being accessible from the unidentified engineer’s account which gave the hackers such wide latitude to steal emails. 
 
&nbsp;Microsoft&nbsp;representative said the engineer’s account had been hit using “token-stealing malware” but did not provide further detail about the incident or its timing.

The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately return an email. Beijing has previously described the allegation that it stole emails from top U.S. officials as “groundless narratives.” 
 
&nbsp;

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The recently disclosed Chinese hack of senior officials at the US State and Commerce departments stemmed from the compromise of a Microsoft engineer’s corporate account, Microsoft Corp said in a blog post on Wednesday.

The recently disclosed Chinese hack of senior officials at the US State and Commerce departments stemmed from the compromise of a Microsoft engineer’s corporate account, Microsoft Corp said in a blog post on Wednesday. Microsoft said the engineer’s account had been penetrated by a hacking group it dubs Storm-0558, which is alleged to have stolen hundreds of thousands of emails from top American officials including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia Daniel Kritenbrink. The blog post addressed some unanswered questions around the incident, which drew fresh scrutiny to Microsoft’s security and led to calls to investigate the company’s practices. Notably, the post explained how hackers were able to extract a cryptographic key from the engineer’s account and use it to access email accounts that it should not have given them access to. Microsoft said it had fixed the flaws that led to the key being accessible from the unidentified engineer’s account which gave the hackers such wide latitude to steal emails. Microsoft representative said the engineer’s account had been hit using “token-stealing malware” but did not provide further detail about the incident or its timing. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately return an email. Beijing has previously described the allegation that it stole emails from top U.S. officials as “groundless narratives.” WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Microsoft says hackers penetrated its engineer's account to steal emails of US officials

Microsoft has stopped updating WordPad and the company said that it will now eliminate its basic word processor from a forthcoming release of the Windows.&nbsp;

Instead, the company will suggest Microsoft Word, its comprehensive paid word processing software, over the basic WordPad application that has been included with Windows since Windows 95. Microsoft's plan is to completely eliminate WordPad in a "future release of Windows," which is likely to be Windows 12, expected in 2024.

The next Windows release is expected to feature numerous AI-powered features.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/microsoft-expands-ai-access-public-can-now-use-enhanced-features-without-signing-up-for-waitlist-589755">Microsoft expands AI access, allows users enhanced features without waitlist sign-up</a>

According to a support note published by Microsoft, "WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt."

The development follows shortly after Microsoft announced improvements to Notepad, including features like autosave and automatic tab restoration.&nbsp;

Microsoft had previously updated its Windows Notepad application in 2018, introducing tabs in the Windows 11 version.

<h2>Was WordPad less popular?</h2>

Yes, mostly because of its formatting issues.&nbsp;

While pasting into WordPad from an HTML document, the text automatically converts most or all of it to Rich Text Format. WordPad is suited to taking notes; writing letters and stories; and use on various tablets, PCs, and smartphones.&nbsp;

It is unsuitable for work that relies heavily on graphics and typesetting, such as most publishing-industry requirements for rendering the final hard copy.

Also watch |&nbsp;WION Fineprint | Google vs Microsoft: Who will win the AI race?

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And this is because, at its core, WordPad is the basic word processor. While it was included in all versions of Microsoft Windows from Windows 95 onwards, Microsoft used to describe it as more advanced than Windows Notepad, and simpler than Microsoft Word and Microsoft Works.&nbsp;

WordPad replaced Microsoft Write.

WordPad, however, received less attention over the years from the users.&nbsp;

While it received an update with the Ribbon UI in Windows 7, it has not seen significant enhancements since a minor redesign for Windows 8.&nbsp;

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Microsoft has stopped updating WordPad and the company said that it will now eliminate its basic word processor from a forthcoming release of the Windows. Instead, the company will suggest Microsoft Word, its comprehensive paid word processing software, over the basic WordPad application that has been included with Windows since Windows 95.

Microsoft has stopped updating WordPad and the company said that it will now eliminate its basic word processor from a forthcoming release of the Windows. Instead, the company will suggest Microsoft Word, its comprehensive paid word processing software, over the basic WordPad application that has been included with Windows since Windows 95. Microsoft's plan is to completely eliminate WordPad in a "future release of Windows," which is likely to be Windows 12, expected in 2024. The next Windows release is expected to feature numerous AI-powered features. Also read | Microsoft expands AI access, allows users enhanced features without waitlist sign-up According to a support note published by Microsoft, "WordPad is no longer being updated and will be removed in a future release of Windows. We recommend Microsoft Word for rich text documents like .doc and .rtf and Windows Notepad for plain text documents like .txt." The development follows shortly after Microsoft announced improvements to Notepad, including features like autosave and automatic tab restoration. Microsoft had previously updated its Windows Notepad application in 2018, introducing tabs in the Windows 11 version. Was WordPad less popular? Yes, mostly because of its formatting issues. While pasting into WordPad from an HTML document, the text automatically converts most or all of it to Rich Text Format. WordPad is suited to taking notes; writing letters and stories; and use on various tablets, PCs, and smartphones. It is unsuitable for work that relies heavily on graphics and typesetting, such as most publishing-industry requirements for rendering the final hard copy. Also watch | WION Fineprint | Google vs Microsoft: Who will win the AI race? × And this is because, at its core, WordPad is the basic word processor. While it was included in all versions of Microsoft Windows from Windows 95 onwards, Microsoft used to describe it as more advanced than Windows Notepad, and simpler than Microsoft Word and Microsoft Works. WordPad replaced Microsoft Write. WordPad, however, received less attention over the years from the users. While it received an update with the Ribbon UI in Windows 7, it has not seen significant enhancements since a minor redesign for Windows 8. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Microsoft's WordPad, launched in 1995, set to be removed from Windows

The UK launched a new investigation into Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. after the tech giant presented a significantly revised proposal to the country's antitrust agency, effectively reviving a transaction that had previously been believed to be dormant.

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In an unusual move, the Competition and Markets Authority stated that it was evaluating Microsoft's offer after it stated that it would transfer the rights to all existing and future Activision games published over the next 15 years to Ubisoft Entertainment SA. The European Economic Area is not included in the divestiture, according to the CMA. 
&nbsp; 
A CMA merger decision being reconsidered at this level is&nbsp;exceptional, and it comes after a series of dramatic twists and turns in the deal's global regulatory fights. The agreement acquired surprising traction after the UK agreed to examine new information. In the United States, Microsoft prevailed against the Federal Trade Commission's legal objection to the acquisition. In May, the European Union approved the accord with behavioral treatments. 
&nbsp; 
Bloomberg cited Sarah Cardell, head of the CMA, saying, "This is not a green light. We will carefully and objectively assess the details of the restructured deal and its impact on competition, including in light of third-party comments." 
&nbsp; 
Furthermore, Microsoft missed the July 18 deadline under the initial deal—inked in January 2022—to consummate the acquisition as it overcame regulatory hurdles. Activision agreed to extend the deadline to October 18 to allow Microsoft more time to resolve the outstanding issues. 
&nbsp; 
In July, Microsoft urged the UK regulator to rethink its April veto, claiming that the situation had "materially changed" as a result of the US court judgment and a later agreement to license Activision's blockbuster hit Call of Duty to competitor Sony Group Corp. The proposed divestiture may eliminate the need for the CMA to rule on that request. 
&nbsp; 
Furthermore, the CMA has stated that it favors structural remedies to resolve concerns about anti-competitive transactions. To meet that objective, Microsoft and Activision have been looking for a divestment that will satisfy authorities without jeopardizing what Microsoft deems the acquisition's critical components. For example, the software behemoth has openly rejected outselling the Call of Duty property. The phase one investigation will now resume, and the CMA has set a statutory deadline of October 18.

The UK launched a new investigation into Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. after the tech giant presented a significantly revised proposal to the country's antitrust agency, effectively reviving a transaction that had previously been believed to be dormant.

The UK launched a new investigation into Microsoft Corp.'s $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard Inc. after the tech giant presented a significantly revised proposal to the country's antitrust agency, effectively reviving a transaction that had previously been believed to be dormant. In an unusual move, the Competition and Markets Authority stated that it was evaluating Microsoft's offer after it stated that it would transfer the rights to all existing and future Activision games published over the next 15 years to Ubisoft Entertainment SA. The European Economic Area is not included in the divestiture, according to the CMA. A CMA merger decision being reconsidered at this level is exceptional, and it comes after a series of dramatic twists and turns in the deal's global regulatory fights. The agreement acquired surprising traction after the UK agreed to examine new information. In the United States, Microsoft prevailed against the Federal Trade Commission's legal objection to the acquisition. In May, the European Union approved the accord with behavioral treatments. Bloomberg cited Sarah Cardell, head of the CMA, saying, "This is not a green light. We will carefully and objectively assess the details of the restructured deal and its impact on competition, including in light of third-party comments." Furthermore, Microsoft missed the July 18 deadline under the initial deal—inked in January 2022—to consummate the acquisition as it overcame regulatory hurdles. Activision agreed to extend the deadline to October 18 to allow Microsoft more time to resolve the outstanding issues. In July, Microsoft urged the UK regulator to rethink its April veto, claiming that the situation had "materially changed" as a result of the US court judgment and a later agreement to license Activision's blockbuster hit Call of Duty to competitor Sony Group Corp. The proposed divestiture may eliminate the need for the CMA to rule on that request. Furthermore, the CMA has stated that it favors structural remedies to resolve concerns about anti-competitive transactions. To meet that objective, Microsoft and Activision have been looking for a divestment that will satisfy authorities without jeopardizing what Microsoft deems the acquisition's critical components. For example, the software behemoth has openly rejected outselling the Call of Duty property. The phase one investigation will now resume, and the CMA has set a statutory deadline of October 18.

UK reopens investigation into Microsoft's proposed acquisition of Activision

Google is currently locked in a fight with Microsoft and OpenAI to develop the next big breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In an attempt to take the lead, Google is planning to debut an AI chatbot that can provide life advice to users, the New York Times reported.&nbsp;

The project is being developed by Google's DeepMind division which has&nbsp;partnered with the contractor Scale AI, the $7.3 billion startup. The eventual goal is to develop a potential&nbsp;life-coach-styled bot. A team of over 100 experts is currently involved in the project.&nbsp;

According to the report, the life bot AI is being trained along a series of real-life scenarios that a general user might ask.&nbsp;

"I have a really close friend who is getting married this winter. She was my college roommate and a bridesmaid at my wedding. I want so badly to go to her wedding to celebrate her, but after months of job searching, I still have not found a job. She is having a destination wedding and I just can't afford the flight or hotel right now. How do I tell her that I won't be able to come?," the report cited&nbsp;one query as an example.&nbsp;

The generative AI, if launched for the public, will be able to perform at least&nbsp;21 different types of personal and professional tasks, including giving users&nbsp;life advice, ideas, planning instructions and tutoring tips.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/replacement-of-journalists-google-tests-new-ai-tool-to-write-news-articles-617738">Also read |&nbsp;Google is getting AI to write news stories now. Are jobs at stake?</a>

<h2>Google looking to gain lead</h2>

The quest to develop a 'life-guru' bot is a marked departure from the existing offerings by Google Bard and OpenAI's ChatGPT. These chatbots are meant to be Wikipedia-style databases which regurgitate all the information in a mechanical way, without creating unique interactions unless one manages to jailbreak their initial, defensive code lines.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Notably, Google turning towards the new form of AI chatbot is no coincidence. Last year in December, its AI safety experts cautioned that users could&nbsp;experience “diminished health and well-being” and a “loss of agency” if they took life advice from AI.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-all-about-googles-ai-tool-to-help-journalists-617938">Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: All about Google's AI tool to help journalists</a>

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Even when Google Bard was launched, the company barred it from giving&nbsp;medical, financial or legal advice. The report added that the life bot tool was still being evaluated and&nbsp;the company may or may not decide not to employ them.

"We have long worked with a variety of partners to evaluate our research and products across Google, which is a critical step in building safe and helpful technology. At any time there are many such evaluations ongoing. Isolated samples of evaluation data are not representative of our product road map," a spokesperson told Times.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Google is currently locked in a fight with Microsoft and OpenAI to develop the next big breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In an attempt to take the lead, Google is planning to debut an AI chatbot that can provide life advice to users, the New York Times reported.

Google is currently locked in a fight with Microsoft and OpenAI to develop the next big breakthrough in artificial intelligence (AI) technology. In an attempt to take the lead, Google is planning to debut an AI chatbot that can provide life advice to users, the New York Times reported. The project is being developed by Google's DeepMind division which has partnered with the contractor Scale AI, the $7.3 billion startup. The eventual goal is to develop a potential life-coach-styled bot. A team of over 100 experts is currently involved in the project. According to the report, the life bot AI is being trained along a series of real-life scenarios that a general user might ask. "I have a really close friend who is getting married this winter. She was my college roommate and a bridesmaid at my wedding. I want so badly to go to her wedding to celebrate her, but after months of job searching, I still have not found a job. She is having a destination wedding and I just can't afford the flight or hotel right now. How do I tell her that I won't be able to come?," the report cited one query as an example. The generative AI, if launched for the public, will be able to perform at least 21 different types of personal and professional tasks, including giving users life advice, ideas, planning instructions and tutoring tips. Also read | Google is getting AI to write news stories now. Are jobs at stake? Google looking to gain lead The quest to develop a 'life-guru' bot is a marked departure from the existing offerings by Google Bard and OpenAI's ChatGPT. These chatbots are meant to be Wikipedia-style databases which regurgitate all the information in a mechanical way, without creating unique interactions unless one manages to jailbreak their initial, defensive code lines. Notably, Google turning towards the new form of AI chatbot is no coincidence. Last year in December, its AI safety experts cautioned that users could experience “diminished health and well-being” and a “loss of agency” if they took life advice from AI. Watch | Gravitas: All about Google's AI tool to help journalists × Even when Google Bard was launched, the company barred it from giving medical, financial or legal advice. The report added that the life bot tool was still being evaluated and the company may or may not decide not to employ them. "We have long worked with a variety of partners to evaluate our research and products across Google, which is a critical step in building safe and helpful technology. At any time there are many such evaluations ongoing. Isolated samples of evaluation data are not representative of our product road map," a spokesperson told Times. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Hey Google, why am I sad?': Tech giant developing AI chatbot that offers life advice

ChatGPT, a generative AI program, was created by Microsoft partner OpenAI, and has been the center of debates about education.

Bill Gates impressed with ChatGpt acing AP test

Due to a dwindling user base and financial losses, OpenAI’s ChatGPT might go out of business.

After its release in November 2022, OpenAI’s ChatGPT established itself as the fastest-growing platform in history. The company’s financial destiny, according to a recent news report by Analytics India Magazine, has, however, sparked concerns. The research suggests that by the end of 2024, the company may declare bankruptcy.

The report indicates that concerns about the feasibility of OpenAI’s intention to register for a trademark on GPT led to predictions that users could eventually stop using it. According to the report, fewer people used ChatGPT in June and July than they did in May. According to SimilarWeb data as of August 3, ChatGPT traffic has decreased for a second time in a row after falling by 9.6 per cent in July and 9.7 per cent in June. Notably, the number of users fell by 12 per cent in July, from 1.7 billion in June to 1.5 billion.

The report said that some of this loss is attributed to API (Application Programming Interface) cannibalisation, where employers forbade employees from using ChatGPT for business-related activities but permitted the large language model (LLM) to be incorporated into other workflows.

According to media reports, running ChatGPT costs OpenAI about $700,000 per day. While recent investors like Microsoft cover these costs, continuing to incur such costs in the absence of revenue could be harmful.

The latest trademark filing for “GPT-5” by OpenAI and its ongoing model training initiatives demonstrate the company’s commitment to making progress in this field. Despite these efforts, the report warns that OpenAI may be in financial trouble by the end of 2024 if more funding is not quickly secured.

In the midst of these advancements, OpenAI has faced further difficulties with Apple’s anticipated entry into the market for AI-powered chatbots and Elon Musk’s assertions that his AI firm xAI is superior. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, criticised the organisation for its ties to Microsoft and its approach to developing artificial intelligence.

Formerly a nonprofit venture, OpenAI has transformed into a “capped-profit” organisation, obtaining $10 billion from Microsoft to support its expansion while striving to balance its original non-profit objective. Sam Altman, the business’s chief executive, has stated that there are no immediate plans for the company to go public because of uncertainty on whether decisions involving superintelligence will meet investor expectations.

Due to a dwindling user base and financial losses, OpenAI’s ChatGPT might go out of business. After its release in November 2022, OpenAI’s ChatGPT established itself as the fastest-growing platform in history.

Due to a dwindling user base and financial losses, OpenAI’s ChatGPT might go out of business. After its release in November 2022, OpenAI’s ChatGPT established itself as the fastest-growing platform in history. The company’s financial destiny, according to a recent news report by Analytics India Magazine, has, however, sparked concerns. The research suggests that by the end of 2024, the company may declare bankruptcy. The report indicates that concerns about the feasibility of OpenAI’s intention to register for a trademark on GPT led to predictions that users could eventually stop using it. According to the report, fewer people used ChatGPT in June and July than they did in May. According to SimilarWeb data as of August 3, ChatGPT traffic has decreased for a second time in a row after falling by 9.6 per cent in July and 9.7 per cent in June. Notably, the number of users fell by 12 per cent in July, from 1.7 billion in June to 1.5 billion. The report said that some of this loss is attributed to API (Application Programming Interface) cannibalisation, where employers forbade employees from using ChatGPT for business-related activities but permitted the large language model (LLM) to be incorporated into other workflows. According to media reports, running ChatGPT costs OpenAI about $700,000 per day. While recent investors like Microsoft cover these costs, continuing to incur such costs in the absence of revenue could be harmful. The latest trademark filing for “GPT-5” by OpenAI and its ongoing model training initiatives demonstrate the company’s commitment to making progress in this field. Despite these efforts, the report warns that OpenAI may be in financial trouble by the end of 2024 if more funding is not quickly secured. In the midst of these advancements, OpenAI has faced further difficulties with Apple’s anticipated entry into the market for AI-powered chatbots and Elon Musk’s assertions that his AI firm xAI is superior. Musk, a co-founder of OpenAI, criticised the organisation for its ties to Microsoft and its approach to developing artificial intelligence. Formerly a nonprofit venture, OpenAI has transformed into a “capped-profit” organisation, obtaining $10 billion from Microsoft to support its expansion while striving to balance its original non-profit objective. Sam Altman, the business’s chief executive, has stated that there are no immediate plans for the company to go public because of uncertainty on whether decisions involving superintelligence will meet investor expectations.

ChatGPT costs $700,000 daily, creator OpenAI may go bankrupt by 2024: Report 

Tech giant Google is finally bringing a highly-requested Gmail translation feature to mobile. Earlier this week, Google announced in a blog post that users can now access translation on the Gmail mobile app. For years, people have used easily translated emails in Gmail on the web in over 100 languages.

Google brings Gmail translation to mobile devices

Microsoft researchers on Wednesday (August 2) alleged that a Russian government-linked hacking group targeted dozens of global organisations as part of its strategy to steal the users' login credentials by engaging them in Microsoft Teams chats and talking to them under the pretence of technical support.&nbsp;

Such "highly targeted" social engineering attacks have hit "fewer than 40 unique global organisations" since late May, stated Microsoft researchers in a blog, further adding that the company is carrying out&nbsp;an investigation.&nbsp;

No immediate response was issued by the Russian embassy in Washington over the allegations made.&nbsp;

The researchers stated that domains and accounts are set up by the researchers which look like technical support and efforts are made to engage Teams users in chats and make them give approval for multifactor authentication (MFA) prompts.&nbsp;

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-hacks-into-email-of-us-envoy-in-beijing-nicholas-burns-617979">China hacks into email of US envoy in Beijing Nicholas Burns</a>

"Microsoft has mitigated the actor from using the domains and continues to investigate this activity and work to remediate the impact of the attack," they stated.&nbsp;

Teams is a proprietary business communication platform of Microsoft and has more than 280 million active users, as per the January financial statement of the company.&nbsp;

Security measures for the prevention of stealing credentials or hacking have&nbsp;been widely recommended by the MFAs. The ways in which the hackers are targeting the Teams suggest that they are looking for new ways to get past it.&nbsp;

<h2>Hackers' Russian connection</h2>

The researchers claim that the hacking group behind the activity, which is known as Midnight Blizzard or APT29 in the industry, is based in Russia and it has been linked to the country's foreign intelligence service by the governments of the UK and United States.&nbsp;

"The organisations targeted in this activity likely indicate specific espionage objectives by Midnight Blizzard directed at the government, non-government organizations (NGOs), IT services, technology, discrete manufacturing, and media sectors," the researchers said, without taking names of the targets.

"This latest attack, combined with past activity, further demonstrates Midnight Blizzard’s ongoing execution of their objectives using both new and common techniques," the researchers claimed.&nbsp;

WATCH |&nbsp;Russian hackers demand ransom to restore systems after targeting Japan's port

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They stated that Midnight Blizzard is known for targeting similar organisations, mainly in the US and Europe.&nbsp;

The already-compromised Microsoft 365 accounts, which belong to small businesses, are being used by hackers to create new domains which appear as technical support entities and have the word "Microsoft" in them, as per the details revealed on the Microsoft blog. The researchers said accounts related to these domains then receive phishing messages aimed to bait people through Teams.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Microsoft researchers on Wednesday (August 2) alleged that a Russian government-linked hacking group targeted dozens of global organisations as part of its strategy to steal the users' login credentials by engaging them in Microsoft Teams chats and talking to them under the pretence of technical support.

Microsoft researchers on Wednesday (August 2) alleged that a Russian government-linked hacking group targeted dozens of global organisations as part of its strategy to steal the users' login credentials by engaging them in Microsoft Teams chats and talking to them under the pretence of technical support. Such "highly targeted" social engineering attacks have hit "fewer than 40 unique global organisations" since late May, stated Microsoft researchers in a blog, further adding that the company is carrying out an investigation. No immediate response was issued by the Russian embassy in Washington over the allegations made. The researchers stated that domains and accounts are set up by the researchers which look like technical support and efforts are made to engage Teams users in chats and make them give approval for multifactor authentication (MFA) prompts. ALSO READ | China hacks into email of US envoy in Beijing Nicholas Burns "Microsoft has mitigated the actor from using the domains and continues to investigate this activity and work to remediate the impact of the attack," they stated. Teams is a proprietary business communication platform of Microsoft and has more than 280 million active users, as per the January financial statement of the company. Security measures for the prevention of stealing credentials or hacking have been widely recommended by the MFAs. The ways in which the hackers are targeting the Teams suggest that they are looking for new ways to get past it. Hackers' Russian connection The researchers claim that the hacking group behind the activity, which is known as Midnight Blizzard or APT29 in the industry, is based in Russia and it has been linked to the country's foreign intelligence service by the governments of the UK and United States. "The organisations targeted in this activity likely indicate specific espionage objectives by Midnight Blizzard directed at the government, non-government organizations (NGOs), IT services, technology, discrete manufacturing, and media sectors," the researchers said, without taking names of the targets. "This latest attack, combined with past activity, further demonstrates Midnight Blizzard’s ongoing execution of their objectives using both new and common techniques," the researchers claimed. WATCH | Russian hackers demand ransom to restore systems after targeting Japan's port They stated that Midnight Blizzard is known for targeting similar organisations, mainly in the US and Europe. The already-compromised Microsoft 365 accounts, which belong to small businesses, are being used by hackers to create new domains which appear as technical support entities and have the word "Microsoft" in them, as per the details revealed on the Microsoft blog. The researchers said accounts related to these domains then receive phishing messages aimed to bait people through Teams. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Russia-linked hackers carrying out dozens of Teams phishing attacks, alleges Microsoft

Apple and Microsoft, the prominent U.S. tech giants, continue to dominate as two of the world's largest companies by market capitalization. This can be attributed to the substantial surge in tech stocks, fueled by the escalating interest in artificial intelligence.

In the previous month, Apple, holding the title of the globe's most valuable company, achieved a historic milestone of becoming the first corporation to attain a $3 trillion market capitalisation. The company's expansion into new markets and optimistic expectations regarding moderate U.S. interest rate increases contributed to this milestone.

In contrast, Microsoft surpassed Wall Street projections for its fiscal fourth-quarter revenue, primarily driven by remarkable growth in its cloud computing and office software sectors. However, the company experienced a 1.4 percent decline in its share price during July after unveiling a spending strategy to meet the rising demand for AI services. As of July 31, Microsoft's market capitalisation stood at $2.49 trillion.

The surge in tech stocks did not exclusively benefit Apple and Microsoft. Strong quarterly earnings from Alphabet, Meta, and Intel significantly boosted overall market sentiment in July. Notably, Meta's market capitalisation surged by more than 10 per cent during the same month, thanks to a positive revenue outlook and robust growth in advertising revenue.

Reuters quoted Wedbush analyst Dan Ive as stating, "We maintain our belief that a new tech bull market has commenced this year, with the AI Gold Rush reminiscent of a '1995 Moment' akin to the early days of the Internet rather than a '1999/2000 Bubble Moment."&nbsp;

Furthermore, according to Refinitiv data, 69 per cent of large and mid-cap U.S. corporations have outperformed analysts' Q2 earnings projections, with the tech sector contributing to 82 per cent of these favorable outcomes.

(Inputs from Reuters)

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Apple and Microsoft, the prominent U.S. tech giants, continue to dominate as two of the world's largest companies by market capitalization. This can be attributed to the substantial surge in tech stocks, fueled by the escalating interest in artificial intelligence.

Apple and Microsoft, the prominent U.S. tech giants, continue to dominate as two of the world's largest companies by market capitalization. This can be attributed to the substantial surge in tech stocks, fueled by the escalating interest in artificial intelligence. In the previous month, Apple, holding the title of the globe's most valuable company, achieved a historic milestone of becoming the first corporation to attain a $3 trillion market capitalisation. The company's expansion into new markets and optimistic expectations regarding moderate U.S. interest rate increases contributed to this milestone. In contrast, Microsoft surpassed Wall Street projections for its fiscal fourth-quarter revenue, primarily driven by remarkable growth in its cloud computing and office software sectors. However, the company experienced a 1.4 percent decline in its share price during July after unveiling a spending strategy to meet the rising demand for AI services. As of July 31, Microsoft's market capitalisation stood at $2.49 trillion. The surge in tech stocks did not exclusively benefit Apple and Microsoft. Strong quarterly earnings from Alphabet, Meta, and Intel significantly boosted overall market sentiment in July. Notably, Meta's market capitalisation surged by more than 10 per cent during the same month, thanks to a positive revenue outlook and robust growth in advertising revenue. Reuters quoted Wedbush analyst Dan Ive as stating, "We maintain our belief that a new tech bull market has commenced this year, with the AI Gold Rush reminiscent of a '1995 Moment' akin to the early days of the Internet rather than a '1999/2000 Bubble Moment." Furthermore, according to Refinitiv data, 69 per cent of large and mid-cap U.S. corporations have outperformed analysts' Q2 earnings projections, with the tech sector contributing to 82 per cent of these favorable outcomes. (Inputs from Reuters) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Apple & Microsoft two biggest companies by market capitalisation

The EU has launched an antitrust investigation into tech giant Microsoft, and it all revolves around their bundling tactics. The EU's concerns revolve around Microsoft's bundling of its video and chat application, teams, together with its other office products. The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, suspects that this practice may be tipping the scales in favor of teams, potentially denying customers the freedom to choose whether to include the app when subscribing to office 365.

Microsoft faces EU antitrust heat

The European Union (EU) has initiated an antitrust investigation concerning Microsoft's practice of bundling its collaboration and communication software, Teams, with its popular cloud-based productivity suites for businesses, Office 365 and Microsoft 365.

This investigation comes after rival company Slack lodged a complaint with the EU, alleging that Microsoft was unfairly tying Teams with its productivity suites, thereby restricting competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) for communication and collaboration products.

<h2>EU's concerns&nbsp;</h2>

“The Commission is concerned that Microsoft may be abusing and defending its market position in productivity software by restricting competition in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’) for communication and collaboration products,” European Commission said while announcing the probe.&nbsp;

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“In particular, the Commission is concerned that Microsoft may grant Teams a distribution advantage by not giving customers the choice on whether or not to include access to that product when they subscribe to their productivity suites and may have limited the interoperability between its productivity suites and competing offerings," it added.&nbsp;

<h2>Microsoft's response</h2>

Microsoft acknowledged the European Commission's action and expressed its commitment to cooperate with the investigation.&nbsp;

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"We respect the European Commission’s work on this case and take our own responsibilities very seriously. We will continue to cooperate with the Commission and remain committed to finding solutions that will address its concerns," Microsoft reportedly said.&nbsp;

<h2>Background of the complaint</h2>

In July 2020, Slack publicly accused Microsoft of illegally tying Teams to its dominant Office productivity suite. Slack claimed that Microsoft had forcibly installed Teams for millions of users, made it challenging to remove, and obscured its true cost to enterprise customers.

Microsoft countered the allegations, citing the surge in Teams' adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased demand for video conferencing and digital communication tools.

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The EU's approach to regulating digital giants is evolving, with the introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) providing additional antitrust enforcement powers.

The DMA targets powerful digital intermediaries or "gatekeepers" and imposes upfront obligations and restrictions on their core platform services to prevent self-favoring practices like bundling or tying.

Microsoft's business could fall under the scope of the DMA, and the regulation might apply to areas relevant to Slack's complaint, such as communications and cloud services.

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The European Union (EU) has initiated an antitrust investigation concerning Microsoft's practice of bundling its collaboration and communication software, Teams, with its popular cloud-based productivity suites for businesses, Office 365 and Microsoft 365.

The European Union (EU) has initiated an antitrust investigation concerning Microsoft's practice of bundling its collaboration and communication software, Teams, with its popular cloud-based productivity suites for businesses, Office 365 and Microsoft 365. This investigation comes after rival company Slack lodged a complaint with the EU, alleging that Microsoft was unfairly tying Teams with its productivity suites, thereby restricting competition in the European Economic Area (EEA) for communication and collaboration products. EU's concerns “The Commission is concerned that Microsoft may be abusing and defending its market position in productivity software by restricting competition in the European Economic Area (‘EEA’) for communication and collaboration products,” European Commission said while announcing the probe. Also Read | Pakistan's support to Taliban regime emboldens terror inside its borders: UN report “In particular, the Commission is concerned that Microsoft may grant Teams a distribution advantage by not giving customers the choice on whether or not to include access to that product when they subscribe to their productivity suites and may have limited the interoperability between its productivity suites and competing offerings," it added. Microsoft's response Microsoft acknowledged the European Commission's action and expressed its commitment to cooperate with the investigation. Also Read | Typhoon Doksuri lashes Philippines as China and Taiwan stay alert "We respect the European Commission’s work on this case and take our own responsibilities very seriously. We will continue to cooperate with the Commission and remain committed to finding solutions that will address its concerns," Microsoft reportedly said. Background of the complaint In July 2020, Slack publicly accused Microsoft of illegally tying Teams to its dominant Office productivity suite. Slack claimed that Microsoft had forcibly installed Teams for millions of users, made it challenging to remove, and obscured its true cost to enterprise customers. Microsoft countered the allegations, citing the surge in Teams' adoption during the COVID-19 pandemic due to increased demand for video conferencing and digital communication tools. Watch | Russian defence minister's Pyongyang visit | Putin to meet African leaders × The EU's approach to regulating digital giants is evolving, with the introduction of the Digital Markets Act (DMA) providing additional antitrust enforcement powers. The DMA targets powerful digital intermediaries or "gatekeepers" and imposes upfront obligations and restrictions on their core platform services to prevent self-favoring practices like bundling or tying. Microsoft's business could fall under the scope of the DMA, and the regulation might apply to areas relevant to Slack's complaint, such as communications and cloud services. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. ×

European Union launches antitrust investigation into Microsoft's bundling of Teams

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